Helm-signal.



P. &1. H. PETERS & P. A. BEY.

HELM SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE13, 1912.

1,173,680. Patented Feb. 29,1916. 2 SEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.3. 8 p? as lb a THE CDLUMlIA PLANOGRAPH C0, WASHINGTON. D. C.

PAUL PETERS, JAKOB HINRIGH PETERS, AND

PETER ALBERT BEY, OF HAMBURG,

GERMANY.

HELM-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application filed. June 13, 1912. Serial No. 703,575.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PAUL PE'rERs, technologist, J AKOB Hrnnicri Farms, and PETER ALBERT BEY, both manufacturers, subjects of the German Emperor, all residing at Vorsetzen 16, Hamburg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Helm-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a device for signaling the position of a sh'ips rudder and consists in the provision of a conical casing containing a light source and fitted with exchangeable diametrically opposed transparent plates furnished with graduated scales and with the direction inscriptions Starboard and Larboard or their equivalents. These inscriptions are so arranged that the wordsStarboard occur at the same side of a plane intersecting the center of the casing longitudinally of the ship, the words Larboard being disposed at the other side. Upright pointers are provided which move along the scale and which are interconnected so as to move in unison to the same side of the ship. The casing is adapted to be mounted on the helm stanchion and the pointers to be coupled to the existing helm pointer, the arrangement being such that by reversing the position of the casing and by exchanging the transparent plates one for the other, the mode of indication can be adjusted to suit the custom of the particular crew employed, whether said helm pointer is directed forward or aft and whether it turns to the same side as the rudder or not. By this arrangement indications are obtained which can easily be read 0a night and day, and errors, due to the crew having to be guided by the indications to which they are not accustomed, are obviated.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated by way of example, Figure 1 representing a side-view of the device partly in central section, Fig. 2 a plan of the same, partly in section on the'line A-B of Fig. 1, Fig. 3, a sectional side view showing a modification of the pointer connections, Fig. 4: a section on the line C-D of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 a partial front view of a modified construction, Fig. 6, a sectional side view of the same. Fig. 7, a plan of Fig. 5, and Fig. 8, a plan of Fig. 6.

The upper part of the helm stanchion is designated 0, and it has a circular platform 9 which is provided in known manner with a graduated scale and with the directive inscriptions Larboard and Starboard.

p is the steering wheel which is mounted in the stanchion, and n is the pointer which is connected to the steering gear and which indicates the rudder position on the platform 9.

The device according to the present invention consists of a conical casing d having two diametrically opposed transparent plates e and f and a double bottom I) and 79 The plates 6, f can be substituted one for the other and are provided, at both sides of a vertical center line, with graduat ons and with theinscriptions Larboard andStarboard. One of these inscriptions is arranged to the right and the other to the left of the central line, the arrangement being such however that the two Starboard inscriptions are at one and the Larbcard inscriptions at the other side of a vertical plane intersecting the center of the casing (Z longitudinally of the ship. The casing d is firmly connected to the platform 9 by means of suitable legs a, of which two are preferably provided at each side of the central plane, said legs being screwed to the platform. On the outside, in front of the plates 6 and f, two upright pointers g and h are disposed which are carried by horizontal arms 9 and it re spectively, such arms being projected from between the bottom walls through slots 6 (Fig. 2) and adapted to turn to both sides about a central pivot 0 connected to the lower bottom wall Z). The arm h is prolonged beyond the pivot 0 and formed into a toothed segment b which meshes with a pinion k mounted on the plate b. The pinion h is connected to a wheel g which in its turn meshes with a curved rack 9 attached to the arm 9. From this arrangement it follows that when one arm is turned horizontally from the center position in Fig. 2 to either side, the other arm will move synchronously to the same side.

The pivot 0 is prolonged downward beyond the plate I) and holds, underneath said plate, a double-armed lever is having in each arm, equidistant from the fulcrum, an aperture through which a screw-bolt k can be passed for fastening either arm to the arm h. A curved slot is provided in the plate I) to admit said screw-bolt and allow it to move with the arm. The arm is carries a downwardly directed fork formed of two parallel plates between which an upright plate m, connected to the pointer n is accommodated, as shown in Fig. 4.

A removable lantern i is supported in the casing d so as to throw its light on the plates 6 and 7 through two diametrically opposed glass plates 2.

The moclus operamlz' is as'follows :If.the helms-man turns the steering wheel to the right, that is to starboard, the pointer 92 will also be turned to the right. Since this pointer is coupled by means of the elements n, 76 7c and 7 to the pointer k it is evident that the latter will be deflected so as to indicate to the ship-master; looking in the direction of the arrow 1. the starboard position of the rudder. The deflectionof the printer k causes the pointer (7 through the medium of the gearing k h g and g to'be deflected to the same side -so as to indicate the same'rudder position to the helinsman'who looks inthe direction of the arrow '2. Theo'pp'osite occurs if the steering wheel is turned to thejleft,

In the constructirn "shown'fin Figfll the pointer 17. is directed away from the'steering wheehz'. 6., toward thebow of the ship. If the'pointer a should happen to be directed toward the steering wheehi. 6., toward the stern'of the ship, then't-he apparatus must be turned 180 so that the pointer k comes to the rear. The plates 6 and 7" must, more o er. be exchanged one for the other so that the inscriptions retain their original position relative to the ship. The pointers g and it will again be deflected to the same" side as the pointer 11;. p

, If the pointer "a, whether it be directed forward r backward, should be deflectedito larbrard when the steering wheel is turned to starboard, z. 6., according to German rules, then the screw-bolt k is detached from the'arm of the lever is which carries the 'fork 73 and the pointer it is. af er the whole'apparatus has been turnedlSO". connected to the free arm of'said lever. The platesejand 7 are also. if it shouldbe required. exchanged one for the other. In this case the two pointers g and h 'will be deflected in the desired. opposite direction'to the pointer n.

In Fig. '3, a'somewhat modified construction of the signaling device is shown in a vertical section. In this construction the movement of the pointer k is transmitted to the pointer g by means 'ofa reversing enicy'clic gearingr, s, t, a. The operation of this arrangement is evident from "Fig. 3 without further explanation.

A further modification of the signaling device is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8. 'The interconnected by means'of a'shaftw about which they turn. A toothed bevel wheel. to

is mounted on said shaft so as to mesh with a wheel a: connected to the lever arm 7:, the

latter being coupled by means of the fork Z1 and the plate m to the pointer n. If'the I pointers g andh are to be deflected in the same direction as the pointer n the wheel to must be arranged on the shaft in the'position shown in 'Fig. 6. -'If the pointers are to'be deflected in the opposite directionto the pointer n,-the wheel w must be transferred to the opposite side; of the pivot 0. This position of the wheel w is indicatedby dotte'd'lines in Fig. 6.

1. A helm signal comprising a conical casing adapted tobe 'mounted'on the helm stanchion, two transparent plates .fittedin diametrically opposed positions on'saifdicasing so as to allow of being exchanged and provided with graduated scales and-inscriptions being "at each sideof a plane intersecti-ng the'center of the casing longitudinally of theship, a lantern supported'in said casing and adapted to illuminate said plates, upright pointers arranged so' as *to move along the scales of said PlillEESflil'lfl coupled-so as tobe deflected to the'same side of theship, and means for coupling said pointers to'the existinghelm pointenso as to cause the former to move wit-h the steering gear and indicate the position of -the rudder, substantially asset forth. ,7

' 2. Ina helm signal the COIl'lblHfltlOI'litz-COH- ical casing adapted to be mounted on the helm stanchion of two transparent plates exchangeably fitted in dia-metrical-lv opposed positions on said casing-and provide'dw-ith graduated scales and suitable inscriptions.

beingat'each side of a plane intersecting the center of the casinglongitudinally of,

the ship, of meansarranged in said casing and adapted to illuminate'said platesyof upright pointers 'rotatably mounted "on a central pivot ofsaid casing anid'adaptd' to move along the scales ofsald'casing, and

of means for exchangeably couplingsaid pointers to the helm pointersoas toin'disubstantially as setforth. In testimony whereof,- we a'fiix oursignatures inthe presence of twow'itnesses.

PATTL" PETERS. 'JAKOB HT-NRTCH'PETER'S. PETER ALBERT BEY. i Witnesses:

ERNEST H. L. MUMMENHOFF,

FRANCIS R. STEWART.

cate identically the position of the-rudder.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing" the Commissioner(at-Patents,

Washington, D. 01 

